Vehicles may include autonomous driving systems configured to drive the vehicle with minimal user input. Autonomous driving systems receive data from on-board vehicle systems, such as cameras, Radar, etc., as well as from external sources. This data is used to generate commands, e.g., steering, braking, and acceleration, for autonomously driving the vehicle.
An autonomous vehicle may include an electric powertrain having an electric machine(s) powered by a traction battery. The traction battery produces heat when providing power to the electric machine, and require a thermal-management system to thermally regulate the temperature of the battery cells. Example thermal-management systems include air and liquid cooling systems. Multiple types of liquid cooling systems are available such as radiator cooling, chiller cooling (which utilizes a heat pump), or combinations thereof.
Traction batteries are operated within upper and lower temperature limits to prevent battery degradation and optimize performance. Hybrid vehicles are typically programmed to power limit the battery in response to these upper and lower temperature limits being exceeded. Thus, the electric range of the vehicle may be reduced due to deficiencies in battery cooling.